I’ve been getting the question “What do you think about PB2?” a lot lately on my Facebook page. PB2 is a powdered peanut butter, made by squeezing natural oils out of the peanut and then dehydrating what’s left, yielding a powder in which 90% of the fat is removed from the peanut.
Photo Credit: Gym Optional
This is the truth about PB2 and why you’ll never see me eat this manufactured substitute for peanut butter:
- PB2 Is Not Whole Real Food – When I talk about the foods I eat, I tell people I want to choose the most nutrient dense foods on the planet and PB2 is just not one of them. The beauty of a peanut is that it contains all of the nutrients nature intended. It has a healthy dose of fat, protein and vitamins. PB2 extracts almost all of the essential monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, leaching the vitamin E content which is fat soluble, therefore reducing the nutritional content of the whole food. The fat is what keeps you satisfied and reduces cravings making just a tablespoon of real peanut butter so satisfying. This powdered form looks pretty clean when you review the ingredients, but it’s just another way for manufacturers to trick you into thinking less calories is better for you. They have to add a mixture of sugar and salt into the powder to make it taste better without the fat. I know I’d rather have the fat vs. the sugar and salt!
- PB2 Is Not Organic – Conventional peanuts are some of the most heavily sprayed crops ever. The amount of toxic pesticides sprayed on peanuts is suspected to have caused the increase in peanut allergies. As you know, peanuts have a very thin and porous outer layer and shell that allows toxins in easily. These toxins are not something you can wash off. Remember increased exposure to pesticides are linked to birth defects, nerve damage and cancer. The President’s Cancer Panel has urged us not to consume food sprayed with pesticides and doesn’t believe any amount is safe.
- PB2 Has Added Sugar – It might not be that much added sugar but knowing what refined sugar does to my mind and my body – I try to avoid it at all costs unless it’s a special occasion. I eat nut butter almost everyday so I make sure that my variety is sugar free and made from whole organic nuts.
Also, this sugar could be made from genetically modified sugar beets.(The company recently confirmed they do not contain GMOs.)
- Peanuts May Contain Aflatoxin – The mold that is frequently present in peanuts creates a carcinogen called Aflatoxin. This chemical has been shown to cause liver cancer according to this study in developing countries where there is a large consumption of corn, peanuts and grains grown without strict regulation of the quality of soil. Here in the United States, the FDA allows aflatoxin into our food system at varying levels. This is just not something I want to consume on a regular basis, even in small “approved” doses. For people who have had cancer or already have compromised liver function, you should really consider this information. This is why I choose to eat Jungle Peanuts if I have a choice, because they are grown in an environment and harvested in a way that does not produce this toxin.
- And… Almond Butter is Better For Your Health – According to this analysis taken from Prevention, almond butter has 69% more calcium, twice as much fiber, 86% more iron, and 169% more vitamin E than peanut butter.
And just in case you ask – I like Tree of Life Organic Almond Butter and Once Again Organic Almond Butter. In both these products, the oil stays nicely mixed in when kept in the refrigerator, it’s extra creamy, raw and delicious – more than any other 100% pure almond butter I’ve ever tasted. A lot of stores don’t carry these brands, but if you live in Charlotte, you can find them both at Healthy Home Market.
If you still like to eat regular peanut butter – always choose one ingredient organic peanut butter like this one.
I hope I didn’t burst anyone’s bubble about PB2. Just remember when a product seems too good to be true, it probably is!
What’s your favorite nut butter?
Food Babe
P.S. If you know someone who’s eating PB2, please share this post with them.
I like it – and you’re not correct that all the nutrients are removed.
But I can tell you that 75% of the calories are and they are the fat calories! Maybe you don’t have to count calories, but most of us do. Add to that a heart condition and even the “healthy fats” are not healthy.
I do still eat good-for-me peanut butter (no sugar, no salt) but for flavoring, there is nothing wrong with using a TBL of PB 2.
Just MHO but it helped me to lose 90 lbs and I am sticking with it.
It appears you didn’t read the article.
No, I think he read it, the author started with the agenda of promoting Almond butter., and so it looks like she was straining to fill in this list of ‘negatives’.
I’ve seen the same thing said about Soy, and Blueberries and how it’s the most heavily sprayed product. Insecticides are bad, yes, but I’ve zero proof on any claim showing evidence that one food is the ‘most sprayed’ over another.
I think peanut butter powder is amazing too. I love it. High in protein and low in fat. I add it to my protein shakes now.
Almond butter may or may not be just as good or better, but it sure is higher in fat, even if it is good fat, and much much higher in price.
I’m literally eating it right now and it tastes so yummy 🙂 but I only got it because it was 50% cheaper than my almond butter that I normally buy. I guess almond butter may be somewhat more nutrient dense, but I say pb2 might be up there still in regards to the high sugar but butters and hydrogenated oils! I’m not complaining 🙂
It is delicious! 🙂
Thank you for your opinion. I feel there may be a few contradictions to your opinion but then again I’m fickle too.
Homemade food would and should and are ideal to live healthy. I’m sure that would include growing our own food also. Practicality really tends to mess this concept up though.
In the scheme of the food debacle there have been numerous foods that at one point in time were professed to be horrible and the devil only to once again be found “healthy” so truth is still and probably always will be – Every body is different and all things in moderation. So for those of us trying very consciencesely to eat healthy foods, thank you for you opinion.
Well said!!
I agree, I make my own Peanut Butter. Put it in the food processor and mix away, add a tiny bit of Coconut oil and that’s it.
The ingredients are what they are…..it’s black and white, no contradictions.
I like PB2 and will continue to use it and enjoy it. It is only made out of peanuts with a little salt and sugar. Did “Food Babe” look at all the ingredients in traditional store bought peanut butter? Apparently not or she would have seen enough really bad ingredients to throw that away! So I guess, according to her, that fully hydrogenated vegetable oils are just fine?? I think “Food Babe” should check facts out more and just not be negative bout things she doesn’t like. Maybe mixing in plain water is too complicated for her….and who is she to tell us what to eat and what not to eat? Is she a scientist? If so, I apologize….
She doesn’t buy or eat traditional store bought peanut butter. She said she buys all organic almond butter, which doesn’t have hydrogenated oil added to it.
Did you read the article at all? She specifically says what nut butters she eats. And conventional peanut butter is not one of them. Reading comprehension, people.
That’s exactly what I was thinking!!!lol. Processed food brain fog maybe???? Sorry, this is a big pet peeve. Commenters attacking completely off topic and with facts that have nothing to do with the original story. SMH
I’m glad somebody said it
You can get peanut butter without hydrogenated oils and I don’t recall Food Babe ever posting that she buys the type of peanut butter you are talking about.
She also said if she does buy peanut butter it is jungle grown peanut butter due to them not using pesticides.
The article was not about regular store bought peanut butter. It was only about PB2.
Did you even read the article? First, this article is about PB2 not other peanut butter brands. Second, people asked her about it so she researched. Third, this is her blog and that is what it’s all about FOOD INVESTIGATION. It’s up to you to take it or leave it. Sheesh, people get so defensive when a product they buy doesn’t have favorable reviews.
Well put!
You’re bringing up a completely different story, I’m sure she’d be happy to do a story on all the brands of peanut butter on the market but this story was about PB2. So much confusion sheesh!
Hence why she buys organic and not traditional, darling. No matter what the food, it is always best to have the whole real food source…not processed or preserved. That’s common knowledge.
Is this the first article you’ve ever read on her blog???
Hehe
First of all, she was asked her opinion on it so she gave it. Secondly, anyone who is a health conscious label reader knows that you don’t buy PB with hydrogenated oils. You buy natural peanut butter…ingredients: peanuts. If you’re buying something else, you aren’t very health conscious or knowledgeable so enjoy your PB2. Finally, they are removing the good fats that are heart healthy and actually help you lose weight. Again, if you don’t know these things, it’s time to pick up a book, if your concern truly is for your best health. Food babe is 100% right in her assessment. If you disagree, I hope you like the taste of sand because you’re burying your head in it. Further, you always have the option to stop reading the educated opinions of others while down there.
Awesome reply! I agree with you and with the Author of the article. She is completely right in her assessment, just as you said. The problem with our society is that we think that counting calories is enough. So there are way too many people counting calories who forget to read labels and or ingredients. That is a mistake. I don’t understand people who would rather have a powdered thing to the real peanut butter. I just don’t get it. Just to know the fact is powdered makes it sound so unnatural. If you are conscious about your health, why would you want to have that?
I was under the impression that PB2 was a marketed peanut flour. Should I also not eat peanut flour?
Another problem I have with your website is your lack of credible sources. Where did you learn that PB2 might contain aflatoxin? I do not mean to be antagonistic, I am simply just trying to become more educated.
She didn’t say PB2 specifically might contain aflatoxin but peanuts in general!
I see Emma’s point. I’d like to see some sources cited for a lot of what she states on this website. She isn’t an expert, she’s obviously done her research, but still, I’d like to see some background info.
She’s a Registered Dietitian you guys, that means she has formally been trained in nutrition, that’s the absolute chemistry of food, ever little molecule, she’s trained to know how the body absorbs and uses/stores any and everything that may find its way in, including toxins.
You’re remarks are more a testament to your lack of knowledge in the field. Food Babe is incredibly accurate. Do you think YOU could get the attention of major corporations, having them looking to YOU for suggestions… I didn’t think so.
Chelsea, please provide proof that she’s a “registered dietitian”.
Because… SHE’S NOT
Antigone – Chelsey McGuire is right, she is a Registered Dietitian and Food Babe is absolutely spot on in her insightful Holistic food research. This article is a blessing for those who don’t understand how certain foods act in the body. Peanuts are 1) Pesticide-Ridden 2) Full of GMO’s 3) One of the most toxic foods on the planet 4) Heated which means all living enzymes are destroyed 5) Highly-acidic forming inside the body. PB2 is a processed food, not a natural one. Plus, it acts like a flour inside your body in that the particle size of this powder acts similarly to sugar, spiking your blood glucose levels. Throw in the added sugar (from GMO’s) and salt and it’s a recipe for disaster. Great share Food Babe and thank you for being precise and forthright in this article!
sugar from GMO’s ?? First let me say I am work in the Agriculture industry. A GMO peanut does not exist, if it did, it would not change the sugar content by just being a GMO.
I have yet to try it. But I would imagine all the lost nutrients would be made up by allowing you to eat other healthy food when practicing a caloric deficit. Peanuts are not that nutritious so filling your palate with them isn’t ideal. However willpower is a limited resource. Sometimes if you want to treat yourself to one slice of peanut butter on some eziekiel bread, without losing another meal, will do wonders for your adherance to a meal plan. (Also good i would imagine for carb loading if you don’t like jam and can’t use nutbutters)
I’d rather have a table spoon of this as will maintenance then breaking and eating 20 Reese peanut butter cups, or a having couple of peanut butter sandwiches.
I say this as a 24 hour endurance athlete who spends his year training and dieting I also eat many of the foods you recommend. But I feel the world is a little less black and white. Finding somethings place, even if small, might increase credibility to those well versed in other areas of nutrition.
Well said.
Very well said.
It’s great information she’s provided and people have to pick and choose their battles. But sometimes I see it all a bit like saying “don’t eat fruits and vegetables if you can’t afford organic.” (I know PB is not an important daily nutrient and I’m not comparing it to fruit/veg).
Having said that I love that information (when accurate) is put out there so people can make the best decision for them. I have 4 teaspoons of PB2 daily in my protein drinks. I buy organic everything. I choose to get my fat from salmon. I do intense cardio and weight lifting. Blah blah blah…as you said, life is not black and white. Rather a beautiful gray hue.
I LOVE raw cashew butter. I buy the raw organic from Artisana, however, making my own is so easy, it’s just a matter of having the time to do so. I wondered about this whole PB2 craze, thanks for shedding some light on it.
Try some almond butter on Ezekiel bread with banana slices and eggplant bacon. So good!
What is eggplant bacon please?
I love once again organic almond butter…crunch and regular….on Ezekial Flax bread toasted with nutive manna on top….yummy healthy treat……also like cashew butter organic when I can find it and afford it…love it’s taste
What about the little things at the Whole foods and Co-op’s that have local raw Organic Peanuts in them and you just hit the button and you get fresh made Peanut Butter with nothing added to it? Is that still a bad choice
No because it has low heat. All it does is grind it.
My daughter cannot eat peanuts and does not like almond butter. The one nut butter I have found that she does like is cashew butter. Do you have any thoughts on that?
If she can tolerate sunflower seeds, sunbutter is very good.
Sunbutter has added sugar in every variety (except the unsweetened, of course), so be careful with that one. The unsweetened one is very nice though!
I usually use the machine and grind my own at the store. Is that a good way to go or you recommend buying pre- made?
Vani, thanks for this! Taking the “not a real food” piece aside (as I do agree, I’m a fellow nutritionista :), how do you feel about the quality of Just Great Stuff? It is organic, the sugar is organic coconut sugar and is minimal (I use 1T in smoothies which contains 1.5g sugar). I am a smoothie lover, and instead of getting the fat from peanuts I prefer using coconut oil (but still crave the peanut taste occasionally). Ever heard of this brand?
http://www.bettylousinc.com/products_detail.php?id=287&ref=0
I was wondering her thoughts on that one too as it is very good.
I love just great stuff, and it’s organic. I’m on weight watchers and two Tbs of “just great stuff” is one point versus regular peanut butter which is 5 points. When I only get 24 points daily, 1 vs 5 is huge for me. I was drawn to “just great stuff” because it was organic and made with coconut sugar.
Never heard of the product. I am addicted to organic almond butter when my stomach can handle blend it with a banana and organcic coconut milk and ice. Yum!. My stomach has not been able to handle peanut butter for years. It is an inflammatory.
I love NuttZo!
20 dollars for almond butter!!! I don’t even spend over 10 dollars on wine.
Sadly, the price of almonds has shot up recently. However, Trader Joe’s still has their almond butter for a decent price: $4.99 for 16 oz.
They raised the price to 6.99 in NJ, so it is no longer 4.99 anywhere
Sadly, the price of almonds has shot up recently. Trader Joe’s still has a decent price though: $4.99 for 16 oz. They have organic raw almond butter in crunchy or creamy, as well as both varieties unsalted. I love their raw unsalted crunchy almond butter!
What TJ’s dp you shop at? Its $6.99 for almond butter at TJ’s in CA.
Oh bummer! (Also a bummer that my comment posted twice…) I’m up in Washington. Weird that it’s more expensive in the state that grows almonds…
I enjoy organic cashew and macadamia nut butters since I have avoided peanuts for many years due to the fact that they are legumes and are the ones that are most susceptible to aflatoxin contamination. Peanuts are one of the foods that people are likely to have an allergic reaction to if they have food sensitivities.
Hemp spread butter is my favorite!
Concerned about the use of palm oil in my favorite almond butter. Anyone have one they like but doesn’t claim “sustainably farmed” palm oil in ingredients?
I thought peanuts grew underground/weren’t sprayed directly. I can see that aflatoxins might cause peanut allergies, though.
Hi Ann,
Peanuts have shells that are soft and porous, meaning that any pesticides sprayed on the ground (as peanuts grow under ground) or onto the crop after harvest can penetrate the shell and reach the meat. The shell can easily soak in anything in the ground, as well. Since fat most easily absorbs and retains pesticides, and peanuts are fatty, this is of particular concern.
According to the UD Department of Agriculture Pesticide Data Program, in 2006, the most recent year tested, there was 8 pesticide residues found on conventional peanut butters, ranging from .1% to 26.9% of the samples tested. Four were possible carcinogens and one is a known carcinogen…
Wow! That is scary! And l love peanut butter, but I don’t love the picture of pesticides soaking in thru the shells!
I had PB2 months ago, I used to love it. But then something happened and I’ll never touch the stuff again. I mixed some water with my PB2 in the jar, and when I didn’t finish it, I capped it for later. Well, two days later when I went to eat some, it had the most awful smell. It BURNED my tongue, almost acidic-like. I was shocked!! Awful product!!
Kelsey, why did you attempt to eat it after smelling it?
Why would you mix water into the jar? You’re supposed to measure 2T PB2 and 2T water (mixed in a separate bowl) and eat. You do this as you need it. Perhaps it went bad? Did you refridgerate it?
Food Babe, is there any brand of natural peanut butter that you can recommend that does not contain Aflatoxin? Unfortunately, none of us like almond butter but are peanut butter lovers. We have a large family and consume a jar and sometimes more a week. We do at least buy natural peanut butter with just peanuts listed in the ingredients but definitely don’t want the Aflatoxin. Thanks for all you do!
Tracy,
From naturalsociety.com:
Even though there may be aflatoxin in peanut butter, there are methods to reducing the absorption of the cancer-causing chemical. The first thing you can do to prevent this problem is buy Arrowhead Mills organic peanut butter. Arrowhead Mills grows their peanuts in New Mexico, and aflatoxin has had no recognition there due to extremely dry soil. In addition, it carries the organic label so it is free of harmful pesticides.
To reduce aflatoxin exposure and fungal growth, always refrigerate your peanut butter. By placing your peanut butter in the refrigerator, you are stopping any fungus which may be present from multiplying. Chlorophyll has also been shown to reduce the absorption of aflatoxin which make green vegetables great for decreasing the carcinogenic effects of aflatoxin.
Read more: http://naturalsociety.com/is-your-peanut-butter-full-of-carcinogens/#ixzz2vbhq6iZ8
Follow us: @naturalsociety on Twitter | NaturalSociety on Facebook
I have heard that the fungus grows on the peanuts when they’re stored, not grown. I have also heard that you can buy organic roasted peanuts and soak them in Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) to neutralize/ kill the fungus. Do you happen to know how much peanuts to how much GSE to soak them in, and for how long? I am pretty good at researching and am having trouble finding this information. Thanks!
I love to buy organic almonds & make my own almond butter at home in my food processor. I sweeten it with a little agave & throw in organic cinnamon & sea salt. Yumm!
Agave is NOT good for you. Worse than HFCS. Look it up on Mercola’s site. He has a few good articles about it… Just fyi. Not for debate.
Thanks for this info Food Babe. So appreciate all of your efforts to show us the good, bad and ugly concerning food!!!
Actually, yes you did just burst my bubble. And thank you. I’m upset, crying, cursing. But I’ll get over it and move on. As with all the other foods I’ve had to walk away from. LOL 🙂
Once Again Raw Almond Butter is my favorite! This paired with organic Fuji apples is the best snack ever!
-Lori
http://adventuresofasickchick.com
Is the point of pb2 to be able to enjoy peanut butter without the fat content? Its essentially peanut flour. Its also a great flavoring to smoothies or protein shakes.
I will give my PB2 the boot, but what about the type sold at Sprouts…Just Great Stuff? It says that it has only organic peanuts, organic coconut sugar, and sea salt as ingredients. If you are using it just for the taste and not as a part actual diet (I like it in smoothies), does it still hold the same “risks”?
I was wondering the same thing. Just great stuff makes a chocolate pb powder that is so good.
Curious about it too.
I was hoping someone would have more information to share about this product…Anyone???
Also curious about Just Great Stuff PB… that’s what I had switched to for my shakes when I had read in the past that PB2 wasn’t that great for you…
To Chelsea McGuire-
She went to UNC-Charlotte and graduated with a degree in computer science. She isn’t an RD. There is nothing wrong with PB2. Just because the oil is taken out and there is 1 gram of sugar per serving doesn’t mean it’s not “a real food”. This product has helped a lot of people who love people butter but can’t control their portions of full fat peanut butter. Also, does it or does it not contain a chemical? It is hard enough for people to figure out what to eat there is no reason to just make them paranoid of everything.
I’m allergic to almonds and it pisses me off. And peaches.
I would really value getting your opinion about a nut butter I really like. It’s not widely available because it’s produced in small batches in my hometown (Traverse City, Michigan). I live in Chicago now, and so I usually buy a jar or two whenever I go home to last me until my next trip back. The brand is Naturally Nutty–here is the link: http://www.naturallynutty.com/. I have only used their Organic Pepita Sun Seed Butter & that’s the one I always buy. This is the ingredient list for the Pepita Sun Seed Butter: “Ingredients: Organic Roasted Pepita Seeds, Organic Flax Seeds, Organic Roasted Sunflower Seeds, Organic Hemp Seeds, Organic Vanilla Powder (Organic Vanilla Bean, Organic Sucrose), Organic Allspice, Organic Cinnamon, Sea Salt.” Is anything in this list troublesome to you? I am wondering about the ‘organic sucrose’…is the added sugar a no-go? This butter does taste sweet to me when I use it. Nutty indeed, but sweet. They also have almond butter (plain and also flavored versions) that I have sampled and have been planning on buying. Do you recommend I stick with a plain (unsweetened) almond butter from them instead of the pepita sun butter I’ve been using? I thought that the pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds had good nutritional benefits, and the butter is organic, so I figured it was healthy enough to be using…But now that I am thinking about the added sugar, I’m wondering if the almond butter would be just as nutritious (if not more)… Can you lend any insight? Thanks a ton! 🙂
-Rhiannon
I like and use Nutzo, certified organic and delicious. Privately owned too! Thanks Vani!
Well, someone mentioned she is a Registered Dietitian. But she is actually not.
I LOVE Just Great Stuff organic powdered peanut butter..it’s awesome in shakes and for hiking.
I was looking at some of these comments to this post, remember….Don’t get offended if “foodbabe” doesn’t like what you like to eat or doesn’t suggest it, just take her opinions/thoughts and think about them/reflect. If they serve you, great, if they don’t..move on! All I know is how to listen to my own body and it tells me what feels good and what doesn’t. #mindbodynutrition
With all the other junk in peanut butter and all the other nut butter, PB2 is just fine by my books. In fact, better than fine. It is whole food. It is not chemically processed and yes, it has a dash of sugar and salt, but far less than other nut butters. This product has helped my husband loose 40 pounds by become a go to healthy, natural snack. Yes, the oil has been removed, but fat is removed from yogurt and dairy all the time. Does that mean it’s not healthy or whole foods? I love my PB2 and will continue to use it. I appreciate some of the other article, but this one missed the mark.
Deb, you completely missed the mark. If you honestly think PB2 is a Whole Food, think again. Can you go out to your garden and harvest PB2? Can you pluck from nutrient-rich, mineral-full soil PB2? Does it rain PB2? My point is, it’s not a whole food, it’s processed. Second, Dairy and Yogurt are not healthy in the least bit. Dairy leaches calcium and magnesium from your bones. Dairy puts your body into an acidic state so badly that it’s only a matter of time before diseases, sicknesses, brain fog, and cancer take over your body. Dairy ages you and causes your skin to break down very similarly the way AGE’S (advanced glyclation end-products) in sugars and carbohydrates break down your skin. Dairy causes acne. Yogurt most-often comes from dairy and is equally as acidic-forming in the body. Before you say “this hit the mark,” I highly encourage you to take a basic course in nutrition – you may just learn something rather than thinking you know it all.
I grind my own almond butter at Whole Foods. However, I wonder if they use the 365 almonds? I assume they are not organic 🙁
Anyone out there know what they use?
Kathie – I used to work for Whole Foods, they use conventional peanuts that come from California for their selection of self nut-grinded peanut butters. Heated, pasteurized, and pesticide-ridden peanuts … even at Whole Foods. Sad, but true.
Of there is a little sugar and salt added to PB2. If it didn’t it would not be considered a peanut butter it would be a peanut flour. There is nothing bad for you in the product. She has missed the purpose of this product entirely. There is no peanut butter on the market that is bad for you.
Todd, you’re completely off your rocker if you think there is no peanut butter on the market that is bad for you. Delusional.
Todd, you are clearly dealing with some unstable people here in this comments section.
I’m sure they will eventually make Almond powder, if it makes you people feel better.
I absolutely f-ing love this new PB2 stuff.
We wanted our customers at Niblack Foods to have peanut powder to use in baking, protein shakes or as a snack with an apple, just to name a few. I found that PB2 was not going to work, because of the added refined sugar and salt. It took some work but we did find a direct source with just the peanuts. We have been successfully carrying an organic peanut powder for almost two years! Enjoy!
I have heard that the fungus grows on the peanuts when they’re stored, not grown. I have also heard that you can buy organic roasted peanuts and soak them in Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) to neutralize/ kill the fungus. Do you happen to know how much peanuts to how much GSE to soak them in, and for how long? I am pretty good at researching and am having trouble finding this information. Thanks for any help! We like peanut butter, but now that I have known about the fungus issue, I would like an affordable solution!
Look at the PB2 website. No its not organic, but it is non-GMO. They press the oil out of the peanuts and what’s left is ground into a powder. There is added sugar, but if you look at the nutrition label it is 1 g per 2 TBS. PB2 powder (which is just 1/4 tsp.) The aflatoxins levels of PB2 are tested and are below the FDA approved levels. Food Safety watch has a fact sheet about aflatoxins. Aflatoxins may be present in a wide range of food commodities, particularly cereals, oilseeds, spices and tree nuts. Maize, groundnuts (peanuts), pistachios, brazils, chillies, black pepper, dried fruit and figs are all known to be high risk foods for aflatoxin contamination. And they can be found in Coffee Beans and in Almonds! (check out http://www.almondboard.com for an article about them.) If you are really concerned about the aflatoxin level, the EU has more stringent levels than the US. I make my own greek yogurt out of organically grass fed milk and strain the whey out to thicken it…under same logic as your pb2, then that yogurt I’m eating is not a whole food because I’ve removed the whey. Please give the whole picture of your food investigation and be a little more thorough. Giving just a portion of the truth and not the entire answer is not very good investigating at all.
Coconut is a tree nut, also susceptible to aflatoxins. Coconut flour, used in several of the recipes I found on your site, is made by removing the milk from coconut, and grinding it into a flour. Sounds very similar to the PB2. Maybe no more eating coconut flour?
It just amazes me at the emotional attachment people have in their food “beliefs” and not open to new information – like why even read this chicks site….
Folks in general you really need let go of the belief that fat is bad… or cholesterol is bad – the science is out there .
I buy organic peanuts and almonds and put them in my vitamixer and make peanut or almond butter. That’s all that is in it. The almond butter is banging. My mom n law can eat both. The store bought peanut butter does not sit well on her stomach.
Considering everything you said about PB2….there’s a much better but similar peanut powder called “just great stuff”. Ingredients: organic peanut, organic coconut sugar, sea salt. Coconut sugar is produced from the sap of the coconut palm flower, and does not taste like coconut. It is sustainably harvested and low glycemic, containing trace vitamins and minerals.
I asked about that brand in an earlier post, but got no reply. I would be interested in knowing what Foodbabe thought about it. I like it a lot…especially to add to smoothies.
I think she would say the same. Accept it’s a little better than PB2. I actually just had a discussion on FB about it and the coconut sugar is not sustainable apparently. https://www.tropicaltraditions.com/coconut_palm_sugar.htm but I think if you pick everything apart nothing is really perfect. What food babe is saying everything whole, raw, fresh is good which is true.
To everybody on here who’s bashing Food Babe about her reasoning to avoid PB2 – You may want to “Eat Your Words.” Her advice may just say your life and I concur with everything she wrote. I studied Holistic Health and Nutrition from the University of Colorado and every word she spoke is true.
PB2 is nothing more than denatured peanuts with all of its heart-healthy monosaturated fats stripped from it during the heated smokepoint process of producing the powder so many of you think is healthy. Second, peanuts are one of the most heavily-sprayed, pesticide-ridden crops on the entire planet. Loaded with alfatoxins that prevent the absorption of alkaline-minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and even zinc. Eat PB2 and you just put your body into a highly-acidic state. Once your body is in a highly-acidic state, cancer, diseases, sickness, and other health ailments start to form and before you know it, you’re on your death bed. Fourth, she is spot in in that the added sugars and peanuts in PB2 come from GMO’s which are deadly in their own right.
So next time all you “guru’s” want to bash Food Babe for being your nutritional angel, know that her insight might actually be saving your life. Just because you listen to your taste buds and not your body doesn’t mean she’s a villain. Maybe you should learn how to eat correctly by eating organic plants and produce rather than processed “powder” in a jar. Let food by thy Medicine and Medicine be thy food. Great share Food Babe – I hope other logical people take heed of your healthy insight.
ive ordered some and will try it out, if I don’t like it ill stop using it, its not the end of the world people….Don’t kick it till you try it, and its like chocolate, some have “healthier” qualities than other types of chocolate like milk vs dark….but this is just a type of substitute for people who are competing in the body building industry like me and need a temporary fix until they can eat normal again 🙂
Why not just buy organic (no sugar added) peanut butter and poor off the excess fat that floats to the top? This addresses the pesticide and sugar fears, is cheaper than almond butter and retains all of vitamins and other goodies you want from peanuts without paying the hefty price for PB2? There is more than one way to skin this cat.
Somebody please make AB2 as I want to taste the almond without the extra oil :))
Hemp Butter is the Best!…just a nice, healthy, relaxing product : }
I don’t like peanuts or peanut butter but I love almond butter. I started to have a whole grain toast (15 grains, organic) with almond butter for breakfast and it’s not just delicious, but I will not snack at all in the morning. I will have some greens salad for lunch with a lean organic meet or fish, and/or quinoa and no snacks until 6:00 pm, when I get home, I will have a fruit or two (organic) and another toast like the one I had for breakfast and a cup of tea. I drink lots of water the whole day. I started walking almost every day for about an hour a day. I’ve lost 13 pounds in 13 days. I went to have my physical this week, and my high bad cholesterol is now in the normal range, my blood sugar is normal as well (I always had hypoglycemia) my hair is so soft and shiny and my skin is now more clear than ever before. I just needed to loose 15 pounds so I still have two more to go, but my doctor was really impressed with my progress. By the way, I am 51.
You go girl!